by James Glaser
June 20, 2002

It has been said that George Bush has a 70% approval rating. However there are many writers all across the American spectrum that keep coming up with those words, "Police State". Is America headed that way or does our current administration just have really poor communication skills.

I do know that President Bush likes to do things his way and to heck with our Constitution. We all should know that only Congress can declare war, but that doesn't bother George in the least.

We do also know that American citizens do have certain rights and one of these is the right to have a lawyer, to be charged with a crime would be a right also. President Bush has now charged an American citizen with being an "Enemy Combatant." Not that this man was fighting against us or even fighting at all. He is an alleged al-Qaida terrorist. He wasn't captured in Afghanistan, but at the Chicago Airport. He had no weapon or bomb and the justice department wanted to hold him as a material witness, but the courts said no. So now on the President's say so, he is in a Military Prison with no right to counsel and he could be there forever. Police State? We are getting closer

This past week the President came up with The Department of Homeland Security which a month ago he said we had no need for. What changed? People started to question George and the government about what and when they knew about the September 11 attack.. In a honest democratic country, the president and the different government agencies would come up with what they knew and explain their actions. In a Police State nothing would be told and the people openly questioning the government would disappear.

Here in America it was kind of half and half. No one was taken away, but the President came up with this new cabinet office that he didn't want, to deflect some of the questions. The head of the FBI made any internal documents that could answer questions, Secret. However some underling Agents that were true Americans came out in public and told the American people part of what went on before the terrorist attacks.

We still have no idea of what President Bush really knew, nor do we have the true picture of what the FBI and CIA were doing and we probably never will. George is really into Secrets. The new Department of Homeland Security could make us a Police State or it could be just be a chaotic mess that costs us billions.

We are lucky that even if George Bush wants to hold America under his thumb, there are still enough citizens that will risk their careers and yes their lives and will speak out against him. Congress has no backbone and would sell the rest of us down river if they thought it would get them reelected. So it is up to you and I to keep America free and you and I must watch George and the boys like hawks.